Chapter 53 : Reunion

6 Months Later

"We'll be there in two minutes. How long will it take for you?" He adjusted his fingerless gloves, picking up his helmet and securing it in place. "One minute 40 seconds," came the confident voice of a girl from the other end of the line. A smirk spread across his face as he accepted the challenge, quickly replying back, "One minute." With that, he hung up and accelerated his bike.

*Vroom Vroom*

The gigantic gate creaked open, revealing a sprawling campus dominated by a fountain at its centre, with "L.R. University" emblazoned in bold letters across the grand front. Students turned in unison as the trio of bikes rolled in, their engines roaring, capturing the attention of everyone around. The bikes parked neatly to the right side of the ground, making a striking entrance that left a buzz of excitement in the air.

"Had to admit, it's the coolest entry ever—definitely beats rolling up in a car," Dressed in a white crop t-shirt and a black skirt, a gold bracelet in her hand, Sophia exclaimed, her playful smile lighting up her face as she removed her helmet, letting her medium-length blonde hair with striking purple highlights tumble down. The sun glinted off her hair, making her look like she just stepped out of a music video. "Everyone's eyes are glued to us," she added, glancing around with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Seth, dressed in fitted black jeans and a crisp white shirt, topped with a sleek black leather jacket. A delicate necklace hung around his neck, featuring his engagement ring. He took off his helmet, revealing a confident smirk that danced across his lips. His eyes sparkled as he turned to Sophia, "You already arouse jealousy on them. I mean, who wouldn't be envious of mere humans riding with models like us?" he teased, his tattooed skull on his middle finger adding an edge to his playful demeanour.

Fred couldn't help but chuckle as he removed his helmet, three earbuds dangling from his ears like a rockstar in a music video. He wore a similar outfit of black jeans and a white shirt beneath his leather jacket, his own tattoo of a skull on his middle finger mirroring Seth's. "So you two ladies should feel lucky and worship these two handsome men that gave you the ride," he teased, licking his lower lip as he high-fived Seth.

Meanwhile, Elli, sitting behind Fred in baggy pants and a white crop top layered with a black shirt, leaned back slightly, revealing her toned abs and her short black hair with ash highlights catching the light. With a sly smile, she chimed in, "Looks like the fuckers got the attention for the first time."

"What did you say?!?" Seth and Fred shouted in unison, their eyes wide with anger and shock. Elli simply showed her middle finger, rolling her eyes dramatically. She hopped down from the bike, followed closely by Sophia. Seth and Fred followed suit, all four of them turning their attention to the last member of their group, who was still glued to her phone.

"Aren't you going to come?" Fred asked, giving her helmet a light knock. Amaya, dressed in black jeans that hugged her figure just right and a white shirt layered beneath a sleek black leather jacket, glanced up. A delicate necklace hung around her neck, featuring her engagement ring, while the initial letter Z was tattooed on her ring finger with a rebellious flair.

With a swift motion, she tucked her phone into her pocket and removed her helmet, letting her long, ash-coloured hair cascade down like a waterfall of silver. The three earrings adorning her ears glinted in the light, adding to her striking presence. She surveyed her friends with an amused expression, then raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, come on! I thought you guys were the stars of this show. I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight with my divine beauty." she retorted, her sarcasm sharp as she finally stepped off.

"Ahem!"

All five of them turned around, their curiosity rising, finding a girl standing before them, arms crossed and a frown etched on her face. "How may I help you, miss?" Fred asked, showing his inner prince as he lowered his body slightly, bowing his head and raising his eyes with an exaggerated flourish.

The girl's glare could have melted steel as she snapped, "Park your bikes somewhere else. It's your senior's area." A collective eyebrow raise and mocking smiles spread across the group, as if she had just delivered the punchline to the biggest joke of the century. Gasps and muffled laughter erupted from the surrounding students, their eyes wide with disbelief at the audacity of the exchange. Whispers of admiration rippled through the crowd, and some leaned in closer, eager to catch every detail.

With a swift motion, Amaya pulled Fred behind her, standing tall and defiant in front of the girl. She raised her chin slightly, looking down as if she were the queen of an empire. "Ms. Shorty Senior, sorry to disappoint you like your height disappointed you," she remarked, a sly smile dancing on her lips. The tension in the air transformed into a thrilling buzz, electrifying the atmosphere as nearby students exchanged disbelief glances. "But you're free to do anything you want because we aren't going to take our bikes anywhere." With a victorious flick of her hair, Amaya turned on her boots and walked away with her friends, leaving the girl standing there, speechless, while the crowd erupted in hushed excitement, revelling in the unexpected drama.

Amaya's step halted mid-air, her heart racing as her eyes widened in disbelief, reflecting a whirlwind of emotions. She looked up, her lips slightly parted in shock, the world around her fading into a blur. But as the reality of the moment sank in, her expression transformed; a radiant smile blossomed, illuminating her face and causing her eyes to twinkle with uncontained happiness.

"What happened?" Elli asked, her voice laced with curiosity as she followed Amaya's gaze. Her own eyes grew wide, mirroring the astonishment on Amaya's face, and soon a grin broke out, spreading warmth across her features as she called out, "Guys!"

Confused yet intrigued, Seth, Sophia, and Fred turned their heads in unison, their brows furrowing in surprise before changing into expressions of sheer joy. There, on the second floor, stood Demi, her blue shirt and shorts bright against the backdrop, the belt tightening her waist highlighting her confident stance. Beside her, Somiya radiated energy in a vibrant green crop sleeveless t-shirt paired with tailored long pants, her smile infectious. And then there was Zeya, exuding an air of sophistication in a chic black transparent crop top and sleek black formal pants, her expression a mix of pride and excitement. The atmosphere crackled with energy, the air thick with anticipation and the thrill of unexpected reunions.

"I was totally blown away!" Elli exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she sat between Seth and Sophia in the bustling canteen. "Seriously! Why didn't you tell us?! I thought you guys were ghosts or something!" Fred added, his face lighting up with a mix of joy and disbelief.

Seth and Sophia chuckled, nodding in agreement with Fred and Elli, their smiles radiating warmth. But beside Sophia, Amaya sat in silence, her gaze locked onto Zeya, an unreadable expression on her face.

"We wanted to surprise you all right here at the university! And wasn't it worth it? Your reactions were priceless!" Zeya replied, grinning as she high-fived Somiya and Demi, their laughter ringing through the air.

"How long has it been since you all arrived?" Seth asked, casually cradling his coffee cup, his eyes scanning the group with genuine interest.

"Almost one month, I think," Somiya replied, taking a moment to enjoy her warm milk tea, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Demi, sitting nearby, shook her head. "No, it's only three weeks," she corrected, prompting Zeya to nod in agreement.

Sophia took a refreshing sip of her iced coffee, her curiosity piqued as she turned her gaze to Demi. "So, where are you all living right now?" she asked, her voice lively.

Demi smiled, her eyes brightening as she explained, "I'm living with my cousin in her apartment since she lives alone. It's really nice, and it only takes about ten minutes to walk here." There was a hint of pride in her voice, reflecting her comfort in the arrangement.

Somiya interjected, her excitement bubbling over as she pointed to herself and Zeya. "We bought an apartment that's really close to the Glim Supermarket!" she announced, her enthusiasm contagious.

"Oh, what a coincidence! Fred and Seth also live around there!" Sophia exclaimed, her eyes widening with delight. "Have you seen that red house near the Glim Supermarket? They lives on the third floor!"

Somiya's face lit up with realization as she processed the information. "Wait, that red house! We're just two buildings away then!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement as the connections between them became clearer, sparking a lively conversation about their new neighbourhood.